Culinary Delights of Kolkata

The culinary delights that are available in Kolkata restaurants are highly evolved. An invitation to a dinner of authentic Bengali cuisine is difficult to refuse, no matter how short the notice may be.

Kolkata being the melting pot of people of diverse backgrounds, the quintessential Kolkata dining table is all encompassing. From seasons to festivals, the menu is varied. Being a metropolitan city, which has a cosmopolitan outlook, a bewildering variety of dishes are available in Kolkata restaurants.

Bengalis believe in finesse and variety, which is amply reflected in their act of cooking and eating. There is a fine balance in the blending of condiments to give the right heat; the art of serving and eating; when to eat and when to stop; what to eat and what not to eat. The Bengali cuisine is a course-by-course fare and perhaps it will not be out of place here to make the claim the Bengali fish preparations with all its delicatessen can easily vie with the crème de la crème of the continental fare.

Bengalis are spiritual and health conscious. They adhere to the grace of etiquette and norms of culture. The moment this fine line of balance is crossed, eating becomes an act of gluttony and the enjoyment ceases. To the quintessential Kolkatan, eating is the art of sharing God's bounties and relishing the human effort that went into the production of the gastronomic fare.

Bengali Dining Etiquette:

The presentation of food in a Bengali household or a traditional Bengali restaurant is something to be taken note off. Unlike the "Keep Left" approach - that ubiquitous Indian traffic rule, the Bengali starts his meal from the right hand side. You begin your culinary journey from the extreme right bowl and move on to the left. The first item is an appetizer of sorts, popularly referred to as "Shukto" which is a bitter vegetarian preparation, which can be had with pure ghee. In fact, the Shukto gets your juices flowing. Next on the agenda is dal which is judiciously blended with a delectable vegetable curry. The main course is of course the fish curry or Maacher jhol which could be anything from the famed Hilsa to Galda Chingri. As you approach the end, the sweetened Tomato chutney is just what the doctor ordered which is usually had with a crisply fried Pappad. You sign off in style with the one and only Mishti Doi and yes the queen of sweets - "Rossogolla". One piece of the sweetmeat, particularly if it is made out of date palm jaggery or "Khejurer Gur", and you are converted for ever.

Bengalis go bananas !

Have you seen a Bengali going bananas? Not sure? Well, Bengalis use each and every part of the banana plant. Apart from the ripe bananas which the whole world relishes as an energy fruit, the true blue Bengali is known to make succulent vegetarian curries from the pith of the plant popularly referred to as "Thor", the flower (Mocha) and even the green unripe bananas. For ages the green banana leaves have been used as cover for many vegetable and fish based preparations. Alternatively, the green banana leaves are also used as plates on which food is served during ceremonial occasions and grand feasts. So one could say Bengalis like to go bananas!